


Day Five || Shreds of Doubt

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [5]
Category: Naruto, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 06:02:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17319344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: No one said this journey was going to be easy...for either of them. But maybe the remedies to their doubts are, in fact, each other.





	Day Five || Shreds of Doubt

“...what if this doesn’t work?”

The question catches Hinata off-guard, looking up from the fire she’s tending to one of her three traveling companions. For the moment, it’s just the two of them...and Sasuke’s brow is heavy with thought. “...what do you mean?”

“Any of...of this.” A hand gestures vaguely. “We’ve been traveling for weeks, and my brother is still ill. I’m starting to wonder if that lux mage is even capable of healing him.”

“She can! She just...needs more time. And resources. It’s why we’re heading back to the capital!”

“That place has been empty for centuries: ever since the coup, and the war. What does she expect to find there?”

“I...guess I don’t know, exactly. But she’s confident it will help Itachi. We just need to be patient. Her treatments are keeping him steady!”

“But he’s not improving!”

“Nor is he getting any worse!” Hinata sits back on her feet, looking to him with a worried brow of her own. “...where are all these shreds of doubt coming from?”

A pained expression overcomes Sasuke’s face. Elbows atop his knees, woven fingers hide him from view for a moment. “...I can’t lose him.”

“...you won’t.”

“I can’t know that.”

“No...but you  _ can  _ have faith.”

“Tch…” He quickly blows off the notion. “I’ve never been one to think that way.”

“And why not?”

“I’ve had too much go wrong. Lost too much.I can’t put stock in something I can’t know to be true, or sure. It’s a gamble I won’t take.”

“...and yet you’re taking one now.” Hinata’s head tilts, hair shimmering indigo in the firelight as it ripples. “And what has this all been but a series of circumstances that aligned just right? It was chance you met me that day. If you hadn’t...you’d have no way to meet the lux mage. Does that really not show that the fates were working your favor?”

“If they were working in my favor, he’d never have gotten ill in the first place.”

“None of us can avoid pitfalls altogether, Sasuke - that’s not how life works. All of us here...we’ve all lost something. Even her, a disciple of Luxeria. But the point is that life is balance. Where one thing goes wrong, another will e-eventually go right. Even if it takes a while. And I truly believe you two meeting us was one of those things going right. Our path won’t be easy...but that doesn’t make it any less necessary to walk. If you want Itachi to get better...you have to give something in return.”

Hinata sighs wistfully, staring into the flames. “...everyone thought those of dark and light magics were gone. But she’s proof they still live! Proof that we may yet find balance again. I’m sure that by helping her get back to the capital...we too will be helped.”

He still looks hardly convinced. “...I guess for now I don’t have any choice. Itachi’s chosen to believe her, so...I’ll follow.”

“I promise she’ll come through for you. You just need a little faith!”

No reply.

The water mage’s shoulders heave with a sigh. “...how about you teach me some more about ven? Would that ease your mind, to dwell on something different?”

Crimson eyes give her a tired glance. At least she’s trying. “... I suppose.” He rises from his perch by the fire, and they instead move to the lakeshore as best to let her practice. Given their opposite elements - hers of water and his of fire - there’s far more theory involved on his end.

“So...before, I told you that ven is just energy.”

“Mhm.”

“It is, however, a more...specialized energy. All things have energy...but only some can utilize it as we do. And the only reason  _ we _ can is because -”

“Of our ancestors’ blessings from the Elementals.”

A pause as she interrupts him, expression cooling slightly.

“...sorry.”

“...it’s fine. But I thought you said you knew almost nothing about it…?”

“I...know scraps. Mostly from the lux mage, she’s - she’s taught me a few small things. But we haven’t really had time for proper lessons. Like this.”

“...hn.” A moment to regather his thoughts. “...so, back when the Elementals arrived in our world, no humans could use ven. Nor could any animals. It was only due to their influence, and their ‘blessings’. Which is why only those with blessed ancestors can wield it.

“In short, ven is energy that directly...correlates with an element. Depending on what kind you’re born with, certain elements will obey your will more easily. For me, that’s fire. And you, water. But it also makes it easier to branch into sister elements. I have better odds of learning lightning - a child of fire - than say something like...ice. Which  _ you  _ could, given that it’s a child element of water.

“All it takes is practice. Your energy - your ven - calls to your element. But each is also unruly in its own way. Fire is hungry, and can easily slip from your grasp in search of what  _ it _ wants, rather than what  _ you _ want. Water, I’ve heard, is more...playful. It wants to be free and flow where it wills. You have to control it. Master it. Your intentions have to be more firm than its own. Then, it will bow to you and let you manipulate it to your will.”

Looking a little awed (and maybe a tad lost), Hinata nods slowly. “...I think I understand.”

“All right then. Try to fetch some water from the lake.”

“...and...do what with it?”

“Whatever you want. But best to have a goal in mind before you start, or you’ll lose it.”

Another nod. Facing the waves, Hinata takes several deep breaths before arms lift, palms glowing faintly with a cerulean energy. Sasuke remains a few paces behind, watching.

Directing her energy into the water, Hinata finds a portion to call. Clearly concentrating, she pulls back with both arms, ebbing and flowing her movements as she tries to convince the water to follow. It eddies back and forth, apparently not entirely willing.

But a setting of her jaw sees several gallons lift from the surface, pure and wobbling in her amateur grip.

“Oh!”

Startled at her own success, Hinata quickly loses it, the element falling back into the lake with a splash.

“What happened?”

“...I -?”

“You let go. Why?”

Fingers twiddle at her front, looking from Sasuke, to the water, and back. “...I didn’t...feel ready.”

“And you tell me  _ I _ have doubt,” he retorts, ignoring her bristling. “You can’t second guess yourself. It affects the stability of your grip. You are born of a pureblood line of aqua’el’ven, Hinata. Dominion over water sings in your veins. Don’t let it intimidate you! Long ago, Auquiana themself granted that power to your ancestors. That power isn’t something to dispute. Take it, and use it!”

After a pause, Hinata’s chin ducks in a curt nod. Turning back to the shore, she takes sure steps to its edge. Presenting her hands again, ven flares to life...brighter this time. Knees bend, arms brandishing out and down as though to lift. And as they do, another sphere - over a meter across - slips up from the lake without a ripple. Within it, several fish drift lazily in circles as it holds aloft in the moonlight.

Shock wipes Sasuke’s face clean. He...didn’t expect that to work.

Hinata holds it for a moment longer before slowly lowering her limbs. Without disturbance, the lifted water sinks back into the lake with a final blip of sound. Pale blue eyes are like mirrors as she looks back to him, still steeped in the energy. “...how was that…?”

“...I told you you’ve no reason to doubt.”

A nod. “And if  _ I _ can do  _ this _ ...then imagine what  _ she  _ can do. It means  _ you _ can’t doubt, either.”

“...I suppose I can’t.”

**Author's Note:**

> All righty, here's day five! And our first step out of ALAS, and into another verse I love to write: that being a crossover with...technically a world of my own creation I call Divine Light. A fantasy verse I intend to write novels for...someday ^^; But for now, using Naruto characters in it is actually really great practice, and lets me worldbuild, too!
> 
> Despite her canon elements of fire and lightning, Hinata's always struck me as a water type gal - I do the same with her Pokémon verse! It must be that OG season scene of her training on the water...it just feels like her element. So here, she's a water elf! And during her travels with a few other mages, she's been getting training from Sasuke despite his own element of fire.
> 
> And you know what they say about opposites ;3c
> 
> Anywho, that's all for today - I hope y'all enjoyed, and thanks as always for reading!


End file.
